The Tour Divide 2023 thread

[Dave Barter]

It's Tour Divide time again http://trackleaders.com/tourdivide23

Drop barred rigs: https://bikepacking.com/bikes/2023-tour ... gs-part-1/

Not sure I can spot any boners out there?

Apparently, there are a few ex-pro males in the field

[fatbikephil]

Only one Brit so far...
I see Lael Wilcox is off for another go, wonder if she'll have a film crew this time??

[jameso]

184 riders.. wow. Big field this year.

Interested to see how Ted King gets on, he's a fast big-day race rider.

No film crew for Lael Wilcox this time. Good to see Alexandera Houchin riding again.

As every year, hat off to all riders, particularly those returning riders who know just how big an undertaking it is

[Dave Barter]

184 riders.. wow. Big field this year.

Give it a few days ;-)

[faustus]

Quite looking forward to this one. Lael has ridden from Mexico as a little warm-up, as she tends to. If conditions are good then she could improve on her own record. Also have a lot of love for Alexandera Houchin, who has nothing at all to prove on the TD, but she's still going to hammer out a totally nails ride on her SS.

Always enjoy seeing the 'Rigs of..' and have lots of respect for any entrants, just finishing the route is certainly an achievement, even half of it would be!

[PaulB2]

At this point, should Cutthroat be its own bike category for the TDR?

[sean_iow]

At this point, should Cutthroat be its own bike category for the TDR?

Might be the only way they finally get a win, if it's in their own class? I think I'm right in saying that no one has ever won on a Cuthroat? Not kept up with it the last few years.

Latest Bikes or Death podcast is with Hannah Simon talking about her triple crown attempt which starts with the TD, we she thinks is the easiest of the 3 as the riding (although longer) is much less technical and the route is much less remote.

They also touch on the Cutthroat, old men buy one and go to 'find themselves' on the TD*

* This doesn't include our Dave as he's not old and he knows where he is

[substandard]

Gail brown is doing it I think? She should go well.

I think Alex Howes (ex EF education pro) will be one to watch too.

[due]

More 'rigs':

https://bikepacking.com/bikes/rigs-of-t ... de-part-2/

[Dave Barter]

* This doesn't include our Dave as he's not old and he knows where he is

Wrong on both counts. I'm considering going back next year so will try and win it then

[psling]

Loving the 'dogpacker' set up. Custom ti Pinion gearbox. We need to meet Mira !

[PaulB2]

The full sus with trailer is an interesting combo

[Dean]

Loving the 'dogpacker' set up. Custom ti Pinion gearbox. We need to meet Mira !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nbrn4jC7FY

[jameso]

Latest Bikes or Death podcast is with Hannah Simon talking about her triple crown attempt which starts with the TD, we she thinks is the easiest of the 3 as the riding (although longer) is much less technical and the route is much less remote.

Interesting, I would have thought the physical attrition of the 15-20 days of an average fast TD would take it's toll more than a shorter but more technically difficult race. Then again I'd be suprised if anyone did the triple with any of the events being at a pace they could do if focussed on that one race for the season.

[Alpinum]

Not sure I can spot any boners out there?

Not sure if he frequents this place, but some (eg those who rode the HT550 2016, group start) may know Hal Loewen.
Inspiring
I hope my body will still be capable for something like that at his age.

physical attrition of the 15-20 days of an average fast TD would take it's toll more than a shorter but more technically difficult race

I can relate to it. From a non racing perspective though;
200 km bikepacking trip in the Alps with some 10000 m climbing (plus same amount of descending) at an overall leasurely pace is much harder on my body than eg riding the HT550 in 5 days.
From my experience I know that this mainly comes from trying to ride the long and tech descents in one go, which completely smokes my muscles (not just legs) and is hard on many joints. An issue I couldn't reproduce even if I tried on terrain routes like the HT550/Cambrian Trail (Ian's C2C route in Wales) offer, since the terrain/descents aren't tech/long enough. Even less so between the moments enjoying the views.

May be a similar situation when comparing the GDMBR to CTR and ATR.

[faustus]

Each year I find myself rooting for Mike Hall's record dot. Kinda hoping it won't be beaten.

Reading more about some of the riders taking part this year, it's definitely an interesting one. Be interesting to see how gravel racers, ex pros and ultra endurance racers get on...the weather and the mind are great levellers of the field, and that's often why it's such a good race.

[voodoo_simon]

As ever, some wonderful mix of bikes, setups and equipment choices but as I always say, they’ve made it to the start line and I haven’t Good luck to all the riders, I’ll be following Joel from Sault St Marie (very last bike on part two) as he works with one my my close friends

[riderdown]

They also touch on the Cutthroat, old men buy one and go to 'find themselves' on the TD*

Sounds a bit snobby.

I am getting old. Own a cutthroat. Think it's great.i also know where I am which as my teenagers point out is in trouble with just the depth varying.

I do worry about the obsession with bike tech, people can do amazing things on the most basic bikes. All bikes are compromises and it's the rider adaption that matters more than anything

[sean_iow]

They also touch on the Cutthroat, old men buy one and go to 'find themselves' on the TD*

Sounds a bit snobby.

I am getting old. Own a cutthroat. Think it's great.i also know where I am which as my teenagers point out is in trouble with just the depth varying.

I do worry about the obsession with bike tech, people can do amazing things on the most basic bikes. All bikes are compromises and it's the rider adaption that matters more than anything

I think it was said light-heartily, you'd have to listen to the podcast to get the context.

[AndreR]

Loving the 'dogpacker' set up. Custom ti Pinion gearbox. We need to meet Mira !

I'll be watching John and Mira's dot, been following him on Instagram for a couple of years now and he comes across as a really lovely guy and has done some seriously good rides. Him and Mira on the Baja Divide is one of my favourites. Very fit guy and seems to be able to knock out decent mileage day after day.

[jameso]

May be a similar situation when comparing the GDMBR to CTR and ATR.

Maybe - I found the HLC in Israel harder than the TD in many ways due to the more rocky or hard-going trails Vs the TD and the heat. It was 8 days and that wasn't pushing it like I did in the TD, but I was whipped by the end. A chap I rode with compared it to the AZT that he rode the previous year, minus the hike section. I recovered a lot sooner after the HLC though, that was the big difference. The CTR looks really tough esp due to the altitude.

Hat off to anyone doing the triple crown, that's some dedication to what must be an exhausting year. 'Someone always has to go one bigger don't they'

[jay91]

Rooting for Alexandera Houchin she's a previous winner and woman's SS record holder

[GregMay]

DSC00459-Edit.jpg by Greg.May, on Flickr

Tailwinds to everyone.

I miss it out there.

[voodoo_simon]

I see one rider has inched ahead of Mike’s record

Interesting Ted King was keeping pace with the leader for the first day but he’s also slept for two nights but it’s only resulted in dropping 70miles which doesn’t seem much of a trade of?

[Blackhound]

I will be keeping track of Jerry Sharp from Derby who rode it about 4 years ago. He is 66 and aiming for 28 days.

The bike I used was quite inexpensive, about £700 or so. The frame was a dinged ex demo Voodoo Aizan from Sideway's Cycles, forks and wheels s/hand from STW ( wheels never been used)*. The rest were my spares or bought in a sale.

I should have been faster but none of my issues were down to the bike which was well able for the job.